War Never Changes
by ThatPersonWithTheFace
Summary: Even after most of the world had been turned to ash, even after governments had crumbled and the social infrastructure decayed into anarchy, even when, after the most horrible war of all, the human race had every reason to band together-they didn't. Slash
1. Chapter 1

**Hey! Guess who's back? I am(: Thank you everyone who's wished me well during my recovery! It really means a lot!**

**When I was in the hospital, I watched tons of tv, movies, and played hours of video games. Then...this story was born.**

**This is based off of FALLOUT 3/New Vegas. Which are both video games. But you don't have to know the game to get the story! Its a fic about the apocalypse. The nuclear apocalypse. And it is a slash.**

**And PLEASE bear with me. The beginning of this fic felt like writing a ** history paper. It gets better, though. I promise! I just needed to set the stage:P**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>War. War never changes. Since the dawn of human kind, when our ancestors first discovered the killing power of rock and bone, blood has been spilled in the name of everything, from God to justice to simple psychotic rage.<p>

The Romans waged war to gather slaves and wealth. Spain built an empire in it's lust for gold and territory. Hitler shaped Germany into an economic superpower. But war never changes.

World War III. The great war. It wasn't fought over religions, money, or even power. It was fought over simple resources. Recourses that were slowly dwindling.

The spoils of the war, though, were also it's weapons. Petroleum and uranium. China invaded Alaska. The US cut off Canada. The European common wealth dissolved into quarreling bickering nation states bent on controlling the last remaining resources on earth.

Anyone who could get they're hands on nuclear weapons did. In two hours, the entire planet was reduced to cinders.

The Great Wars outcome changed most of the planet into a radioactive wasteland. Those who didn't die in the initial nuclear weapons exchange (less than half the worlds population) lived in darkness or radioactive misery while much of the earths plant and animal life died off from lack of food, sunlight, and the persistently high levels of radiation.

Only a few thousand people made it to safe zones, underground vaults made by the government. Humanity, at least in the US, was preserved. Those outside the vaults were either killed or survived with the painful effects of mutation. New species were created almost overnight.

More people could've been saved, though. There were so many false alarms in the months before the actual attack, few people took the final one seriously. Most people were trapped outside by the closing vault doors. Some of the others, the ones who made it inside, were also unfortunate. Most of the vaults had an alternative function. They were used for experiments, the inhabitants their test subjects.

I remember leaving the massive vault, wading through piles of bone and ash. I was 16, venturing out into the vast wasteland that was once southern California. Alone. Searching for some form of civilization. Both of my parents were dead. Vault #101 wasn't as glamourous as it was said to be when you were an orphan. I wanted to explore.

The outcome of the war was not as most had predicted. The end of the world. The apocalypse was simply the prologue to another bloody chapter of human history. Man had succeeded in ending the world, but war never changes.

Even after most of the world had been turned to ash, even after the world governments had crumbled and the social infrastructure decayed into anarchy, even when, after the greatest and most horrible war of all, the human race had every reason to band together in an effort to save one another from total annihilation- they didn't. Some people tried to act with common decency in a world utterly lacking it, and were subsequently tortured and exiled for their troubles. So, I applaud them for their efforts, but they're fighting for a lost cause.

"Don't you deserve a future free of war and fear and terrible uncertainty? Of course you do!" a voice shouted from outside. I was sitting in an old, rundown bar, a bottle full of dirty water clutched in my hands. Clean water was so hard to come by these days. As long as it wasn't radioactive, I'd drink it.

"Another one?" the ghoul behind the bar rasped out, resting against the splintering counter. "Thats twice this week,"

Ghouls were the product of nuclear radiation and mutations. They were some the unfortunate people left outside of vaults. If anything, they look like zombies, their flesh peeling in places.

There are two types of ghouls. Normal ghouls, like the one behind the bar, basically a normal human with a disfigured appearance, and feral ghouls. Ghouls who have lost their minds and are driven on pure savage instinct, attacking everything except other ghouls.

Discrimination is huge against them. Mostly everyone alive has had a run in with a feral ghoul. Many people believe that it's only a matter of time before civil ghouls turn feral. It wasn't uncommon for ghouls and humans to hate each other. I was surprised to see a ghoul running the bar when I first got here, but he was extremely normal. We complained daily about the horrible radio reception and dirty water together. He was my friend.

I remember first meeting Gob. I walked in, sat down, and ordered a drink. He looked at me and smiled. "Well, now that's a surprise!" his deep, scratchy voice rang out as he turned to get my order. "I'm used to every smoothskin in this town giving me shit 'cause I look like a corpse,"

He told me his story, about how he set out into the wasteland to find fortune and was caught by slavers. The owner of the bar, Colin Moriarty, bought him and made him a bar tender. Not a bad job to get as a slave, but still. He's a slave.

I rolled my eyes, back to the present. "They're digging their own grave. Let them,"

The Enclave, our makeshift government, wasn't very popular. People tried and tried again to form a resistance, but the Enclave just took them out. War? Yeah, it never changes.

"We should go watch," Gob said, walking out from behind the counter. He looked at me over my shoulder. "You coming, smoothskin?"

I raised my eyebrow. "I have a name, zombie,"

Gob scowled at me. "I'm not a zombie, wanderer,"

I smirked, sliding off of my stool. I made sure to pour my water into the canteen at my hip, not spilling it. Wanderer wasn't my name, but it was probably the best thing I'd get from Gob. People started calling me wanderer the day I showed up in this small city. Why? Because I was an adventurer. I traveled around the wasteland, sometimes facing death, because I simply felt like it. I had nothing to lose. This desolate world had nothing to offer me when I left the vault. Now it gives me places to go, people to help.

When I say the city is small, I mean small. Basically, it's a clump of buildings. A huge steel fence separated it from the barren wasteland that was modern day America.

From the second story balcony we were standing on, I could see everything. A boy was standing in the middle of the small city square, small crowd forming around him. "Were living in an age of poverty, greed, violence...destruction," the boy drifted off, swallowing harshly before continuing. "You're simply existing! Postponing death for a day or two! Don't you want this country to live again, without all this?" he exclaimed, motioning around.

I scowled. He looked around my age, wearing mismatched armor that slightly resembled mine. A black bandana was wrapped around his head, covered by his blonde hair. A vicious looking assault rifle was strapped to his back, ammo slung across his chest. To put it simply, he looked like a bad ass. Why he was giving a political speech, I'd never know.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see an Enclave officer walking down the street. I felt the sudden urge to help this boy. Sure, he was fighting a good, illegal fight, but he was about to be killed. Maybe worse.

I shoved passed Gob, walking quickly down the stairs. The officer was still coming, but was out of sight now. If he saw me assisting a rebel, they'd kill me too.

"The government shouldn't be guided by temporary excitement, but by sober second thought!" the blonde preached, oblivious to the immanent danger. I walked quickly up to him, grabbing him by his ammo belt and shoving him backwards, into the now heavy crowd.

"Hey- what are you doing?" he exclaimed, struggling against me. I kept pushing him backwards towards a makeshift alley, avoiding his accusing eyes.

"Oh, nothing. Saving your ungrateful ass? What the hell were you doing?" I questioned, shoving him against the side of a building. Yeah, I was pissed.

"Fighting for the greater good? Why'd you stop me?" he shoved me off of him.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I threw my arms out in frustration. "You were getting yourself killed, that's what you were doing!" I exclaimed.

The blonde stranger frowned. "So what if I was? What's it to you?"

My eyebrows came together. He was...trying to get himself killed? What? "Maybe because you remind me of myself?" I started. He looked confused. "You're a kid, all alone in this hellish wasteland. Just like me. You look like you don't take shit, either,"

He nodded. "That's because I don't. And I'm not a kid, I'm 18," he scowled.

"So am I. But I'm not suicidal. Why the hell would you want to die?"

He motioned around us. "I imagine you've seen outside this city. The world doesn't exist anymore,"

I pondered that for a moment. "I have, I'm from a vault. But something tells me that's not why. It's deeper than that. And pretty big too. You just said you don't take shit, and I believe you."

He frowned. "Maybe it is. Maybe it isn't. But if your so interested in my life, why don't you just come with me?"

My eyebrows shot up. "Excuse me?"

He motioned to the old repeater slung across my back. "I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say you actually know how to use that thing. An extra shot is always handy. Plus, it's lonely out there. It'd be nice to talk to someone,"

"You're inviting a stranger with a gun to go venturing with you- across the wasteland?" I asked, shocked.

He nodded. "I figured you can't be that bad if you risked your own life to save mine. And we're both from vaults. Vault dwellers are pretty trustworthy people,"

"You don't know that. Maybe it's just a good day for me. I did feel pretty charitable this morning,"

The blonde laughed, flashing his surprisingly white teeth. He stuck out his hand. "I'm Kendall,"

I gripped his hand and shook it, smiling. "James,"

"Well then, James. You up for a quest?"

I shrugged. "Eh, I've been here for a few weeks. I was thinking bout leaving soon anyway,"

His smile widened. "Good. We leave tomorrow. Gather supplies and meet me at the gate at dawn,"

I blinked as he turned down the alley, running. Was I seriously going out into the wasteland for reasons unknown with this...suicidal stranger? Hell yeah.

* * *

><p>The sun hovered lazily over the horizon as I walked through the dusty streets. It was dawn, I was going to meet Kendall. A few water bottled were stashed in a bag hanging on my back, along with some food. My canteen was full against my hip. An ammo belt, similar to Kendall's, was strapped against my armor covered chest. My armor wasn't anything fancy, made mostly of leather and steel, but it'd do it's job. My repeater felt heavy against it on my back.<p>

Before meeting up with the stranger, I decided to stop at the general store first. I slowly opened the door, walking inside. The floor creaked with every footstep.

"Well hello there, James," Moira Brown, the shop keeper said. She was sitting in the corner on an old chair, journal clutched in her old hands. "My books coming along well, thanks to you. What's next?"

I sighed, walking over to her. She was writing a book about the wasteland, documenting what was happening to all of us. She hasn't been outside the gates for years now, so I've been filling her in. Stories of bravery and death were filling my head. If she wrote it all down on paper it's no longer inside of me, threatening my sanity. Seeing what I've seen...it's rough.

"I can't help you out today, Moira. I'm actually leaving town,"

Moira nodded, a frown on her lips. "Then I assume you're here to get supplies, right?" I nodded.

She walked slowly behind the counter, lifting up an old wooden crate. "This belonged to my husband, Nate. Look through it and take what you need, no charge,"

I paused, watching Moira as she retreated back to her chair. She was the sweetest old lady I'd ever met. It was almost sad to leave.

In the box was an old pistol and some rounds, a sketched map of the wasteland, and a stitched mask that looked like-

"Is this supposed to be a ghoul mask?"

Moira nodded, smiling. "Feral ghouls don't attack other ghouls. It'll help you, take it,"

I smirked, slipping the loot into my bag.

"Are you sure this is all free? I'd feel horrible taking this all away from you."

"Oh goodness, no. Your stories and acts of kindness are worth all the money in the world to me."

I looked back at Moira, reading the words scrawled in her journal. I slipped some bottle caps onto the counter, turning to leave. Even though she said it was free, I wasn't going to take her husbands things without paying something.

"Take care, James," Moira called as I walked out the door. "It's a big wasteland, but you know that better than me, right?"

* * *

><p>A figure was leaning casually against the main gate, looking small compared to its massive size. I wouldn't have been surprised if it was an enclave guard. They liked to monitor the city, keeping track of everyone who was entering and leaving.<p>

As I approached the figure, blonde reflected in the new sun. It had to be Kendall. No enclave guard takes off their cruel looking steel helmets. They have gas masks built into them, as if they need clean air more then the rest of us. Quite frankly, it was probably a good thing it was Kendall. I might've snapped at an officer. You don't come back from doing something like that without a few broken bones, maybe even waging on death.

More ammo and bags covered him than yesterday. The wasteland was a bad place, you needed your supplies. I almost felt bad for him. Almost.

I smirked, walking up to him. "Need any help carrying your junk?"

Kendall frowned. "Yeah yeah yeah, pretty boy. You won't be mocking my 'junk' when you run out of food and guns,"

"Who says I'll run out?" I challenged, slightly offended.

"We both will, eventually. I'll just be the one who lasts longer," he smirked, using his weight to turn a large wheel, the trigger that released the gate. The massive doors slid open, revealing the nuclear wasteland we've all grown to know. "Shall we?"

I smirked, adjusting the load I was carrying and walking out the gates. Land spread out in miles, nothing in sight but ruins and ash. This was the first time I was leaving with someone by my side, even if he was a stranger. So far, I trusted him.

"Yeah, why not."

* * *

><p>"So, why are we doing this?" I questioned as we walked across the rugged terrain. We'd been walking for hours, making small talk and fighting off the occasional mutant.<p>

The world was pretty empty. There was debris, but most of it was spread out. Houses and buildings were long gone. Most of the wasteland was empty, scraps of old memories scattered across it. It was almost a shame how much people lost.

Kendall laughed. "Your not one for safety, are you?"

"What," I snorted. "Just because I didn't know why we were doing this doesn't mean I'm not prepared."

"I'm not doubting that you're...prepared," Kendall motioned to my gritty armor. "I just find it funny that you trusted me enough to follow me outside of Megaton. I could be a slaver for all you know."

"You're not a slaver."

"I could get a shit load of caps for a pretty face like yours."

"Kendall, shut up."

"And you're strong. People love strong slaves."

"Stop."

"And-"

"Will you shut up?" I yelled at him, clenching my fists by my sides. He froze, taking in my stance.

"...it was a joke." He said slowly, cautiously. I got where he was coming from, making a joke to lighten the mood, but this was one joke I wouldn't let slide.

"I know a ton of decent people who's lives were ruined by slavers. It's not something you go around mocking. There's a reason it was banned before the wars."

Kendall frowned, turning to look straight ahead again. "Sorry."

We continued walking for a while in an awkward silence. Kendall kept glancing around us, watching for danger while I casually sipped out of my canteen. He groaned. "You're gonna run out of water faster than I thought."

"What?" I shrugged. "You have to stay hydrated."

"This is a wasteland. You do what you can to survive. How long have you been out here anyway? I thought you were experienced."

I frowned. "Two years."

He nodded, reaching into one of his bags and pulling out his canteen. "I've been out here for six."

My jaw dropped. "But that would mean-"

"That I've been out here since I was twelve, yeah. And before you ask, I've been alone for most of that time. That's one of the reasons why you're with me right now. It's a lonely wasteland."

"One of the reasons?"

"Yeah, you're not that bad to look at either." he smirked, still looking straight ahead. He took a swig out of his canteen, a small piece of paper falling from it to the ground. I quickly picked it up.

"What's this?" I asked, opening the folded paper.

Kendall sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Revelation 2:16. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely." he recited perfectly, not even looking at the paper in my hands.

My eyebrows came together. "Why do you have it?"

He swallowed, glancing around us again. "It sounded interesting, that's all."

I nodded, not pushing it. "It's getting late. We should find somewhere to sleep." I pulled out the hand drawn map Moira gave me.

Kendall smirked. "I mapped this out before the trip. I hate blindly searching." he reached down to his arm, poking at a bulky device at his wrist.

"What the hell is that thing?" I asked, watching him pull up a virtual map.

His eyebrows came together. "It's a Pipboy 3000. Didn't you say you came from a vault?"

_"James, we have to stay inside." a familiar voice whispered in my ear. "A bad man is out there. He stole from us. He left the vault."_

I blinked, coming back to the present. "Uh, yeah. I did. I've just...it's been a while since I've seen one of those."

His eyes searched mine for a moment before he stopped to look down at his map again. "There should be an old town over these hills. Just a few buildings, nothing that noticeable. We should be safe for the night."

My eyes widened. "Intact? Do you think there will be any salvage? Canned food and stuff?"

"Surprising, I know. But I doubt it. It may not be noticeable, but people pass through here a lot. Anything useful would be long gone." I nodded, following him over a small hill.

A sigh escaped my lips.

The town, as Kendall said before, wasn't anything special. Three, four houses remaining, tops. Ranch houses, walls and ceilings collapsing in. A small store sat in the middle, abandoned like everything else.

Before the apocalypse, it's the kind of place I could imagine myself living in. Green grass, friendly neighbors, and a crisp blue sky. Now, though, it was horrible. The sky and ground were both the same shade of gray.

"Come on," Kendall reached out, grabbing my wrist and pulling me along with him. "We need to find a basement."

I raised my eyebrow, letting him pull me along. "Why can't we just sleep in one if the normal houses?"

He started laughing hysterically. When I didn't start laughing with him, he turned to look at me. "...Oh. Uh, you see, most people that come through these parts are thinking 'hmm, how can I survive today?' and then it hits them. 'Oh hey! Maybe if I check those houses over there, I'll find someone I can slaughter in their sleep so I can have their stuff!'"

I frowned. "I know about raiders. I'm not stupid. I just thought that maybe it would be nice to sleep on a mattress, that's all."

His hand fell from my wrist. "I didn't mean to-"

I shook my head and smirked. "It's nothing, really. You're not the first to assume that I am anyway. It's all good. Let's just find a nice basement to settle into, shall we?"

Kendall tilted his head. "Okay, but then well look for some mattresses. I haven't slept on one in ages."

I smiled at him. "Let's go."

* * *

><p>"Shit!" I shouted, dropping my end of a mattress I was carrying with Kendall. We found a basement not completely flooded with radioactive water or trashed by raiders after a few minutes of searching.<p>

The thing was, I could hear hungry moans.

"Shit, feral ghouls?" Kendall dropped his half and passed me, gazing out of a window by the open front door. I walked up next to him, quickly shutting it and putting a chair under the knob.

Kendall smirked, still examining the landscape. "I'm sure that'll stop a horde of angry zombies, James. But whatever helps you sleep at night."

It was a few minutes before we saw the first ones. They traveled in small groups, attacking anything and everything that was living. Except, strangly, other ghouls.

I crouched to the ground with Kendall, watching the ghouls scower the landscape. The sun was quickly setting, casting a strange shade of red over everything. It looked sinister, adding to the horror of the ghouls. Some of them devoured small creatures running around while the others feasted on corpses left behind by others.

One of them stood completely still, turning to stare directly at me through the dirty window.

"Shit."

I glanced at Kendall from the corner of my eye, terrified to move. "What do we do?"

He slowly backed away from the window. "Stay here. Don't move. I'll barricade the basement." And he was gone.

I sat completely still, not moving a muscle. The ghoul just stood there, watching. He slowly made his way over to the door, out if my sight. I crawled away from the window, hoping desperately that they wouldn't notice me.

The door handle jiggled.

I made it to the wall at the other side of the room, repeater clutched in my handsets door continued to jiggle, chair keeping it from turning all the way. After a minute of so, it stopped.

Kendall's head appeared around the corner. "James, come on, it's safe-"

The door slammed open.

I quickly pulled my gun up, aimed, and put a bullet between it's lifeless eyes.

Kendall stood there, speechless. I jumped to my feet, pulling him along with me to the basement. "Hurry! There's more out there!"

Kendall came to his senses, running into the basement. I quickly followed, the sound of angry ghouls pouring through the doorway behind us. Kendall turned, slamming a steel door behind us and dragging an iron bar across it. "Now that," he said, catching his breath, "is how you block a doorway."

I exhaled a breath I didn't know I was holding, placing my hands behind my neck. "That was...stressful."

Kendall walked down the stairs to the main room. "That shot, though, was amazing. How'd you learn to use a gun like that?"

I shrugged, joining him in our temporary abode. "I had a BB gun as a kid."

He raised his eyebrow. "In a vault? I remember a kid in my vault had one. Everyone was jealous of him, the lucky bastard."

I smirked. "It was pretty cool, I'll admit."

The mattress on the floor caught my eye, along with writing carved into the walls. "We only have one bed...and what's written everywhere?"

Kendall shrugged. "We only managed to grab one. It's a queen, though. I dont mind sharing if it's okay with you. And those are the names of people who've been here."

He was right. Up close I could see each individual name and vault number. There were hundreds of them scratched into the hard surfaces of the basement. Kendall leaned down with me, searching the names. He pointed to two names, smiling. "There I am. It's pretty worn out, though."

_Kendall Knigh_

_Jo Tay_

_#10_

"Who's that?" I asked, pointing to Jo's name.

"Jo Taylor. She was a friend of mine from my vault."

I nodded, lying next to him on the bed. "Where is she now?"

Kendall frowned at the ceiling. "Let's just say the last time I was here, I didn't secure the basement."

"I...I'm so sorry."

He shrugged. "I'm more sorry for her. I...did something that she didn't exactly agree with, so I went back to make it up to her a few years ago. Then that happened...and, well, I ruined everything."

"I'm sorry." I repeated, not knowing what else to say. We sat in silence, arms touching, waiting for sleep to take us.

* * *

><p>(Kendall's P.O.V.)<p>

_I was just a few years old, standing up from the carpet that was on the cold metal vault floor._

_My father, sitting on a chair next to my bed, reached forward and messed with my hair. "Your mother would have been so proud of you, kiddo."_

_"Come on over here. I want to show you something." He said, walking over to where a framed Bible quote was. "See that? It was your mother's favorite passage. It's from the Bible. "Revelation 2:16. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely." My father recited the passage in a sad tone. "She always loved that...All right. Come on. Let's go see if your little friend Jo wants to play." He said as I followed him out of the room._

My eyes slid open. Another dream? I knew if I went to sleep again, I'd keep having them.

I looked down to my right. James was facing me, eyes closed and breathing deeply. He really wasn't a bad companion to have out here. Smart, crafty, good with a gun. Plus, he had a soul. He got angry with me when I talked about slavers. That was a very good sign.

I looked around the room again. There were many new names scratched into the walls since my last time here. I crawled over to the wall, knife in hand. My last memories here weren't good ones. Why not make them better? With one last glance at James, I began carving.

_James Diamond_

_#?_

_Kendall Knight_

_#101_

* * *

><p><strong>Hey- did anyone see what I did there? Anyone? Heh heh(: I don't know if it's obvious or not...but still.<strong>

**And btw, Kendall isn't scared of dreaming. He's scared about dreaming of his past.**

**Anyway- I'll be updating my other stories pretty soon. Plus, I have a few more one shots saved in my notes. So be looking for them(:**

**Again, thanks everyone for wishing me well! I'm off to a swift recovery(;**

**Peace(:**

* * *

><p><em>P.S. Here are some links to things like Kendall and James's armour, weapons, and other fun and related things! Take out the spaces!(after http and after fallout)_

Kendall & James's armour: (Just the left one) http ./_cb20110529005718/fallout/ images/3/3c/Leather_

Enclave officer: http .nocookie .net/_cb20110709195551/fallout/ images/b/b9/Enclave_power_

James's repeater: http ./_cb20110211031427/fallout/ images/5/55/Lever_

Kendall's assult rifle: http ./_cb20110211025818/fallout/ images/e/e1/Chinese_Assault_

Megaton: http .com/fallout/ images/e/eb/Map_over_


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, I wanted my 'surprise' thing to be subtle, but then realized it was WAYYY too subtle. Here's a big hint: go back to the beginning of the chapter and look at James's vault number, note that Kendall's been out there since he's been 12, read through James's creepy flashback when Kendall's asking him about pip boys (which is basically a small touchscreen tablet mounted your arm with bulky equipment...), then read the last number in the story. There, then you'll understand.**

**And I have a bad habit of not editing (and, you know, dyslexia). And I write these things on my iPhone/laptop(which surprisingly doesn't have spell check). So please excuse any mistakes, I'll try my best to fix them.**

**BTW- I wrote this chapter because I just wanted to help you...not be so confused. So...this is Kendall's past! Hopefully things are explained well enough for you to understand? I have all these ideas in my head, I forget to explain everything or make things as noticeable to you as it is to me. I mean, I'm the author. I know whats going on:P**

**But anyway- **

**Enjoy(:**

**(P.S. Radroaches are in this chapter- basically they're giant cockroaches. Yummy, right? But seriously. They're the size of...a pillow? I dont know what to compare them to. A medium sized dog? a large cat? Use your imagination!)**

* * *

><p>"Wake up, come on! Wake up!" a voice yelled over a blaring alarm, "Wake up!"<p>

"Jo?" I mumbled shaking my head a bit and rubbing the sleep out of my twelve year old eyes, "What is it? What's going on?" I yawned sitting up and looking drearily at her.

"You've got to get out of here! Your dad is gone and my fathers men are looking for you!" Jo exclaimed, looking out my bedroom door then turning frantically back at me, "He's gone!"

"Huh?" I exclaimed getting up, "What do you mean he's gone?"

Jo threw her head into her hands and started pacing. "He's left the vault! I don't know how, but he's gone, and my father... He's kind of gone crazy."

That's impossible! It really was, the overseer had made it a point to enforce this idea too. It was here you are born. It is here you will die. Because, in Vault 101 no one ever enters and no one ever leaves. That quote plagued the mind of every Vault dweller.

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. "I've never seen you so scared, Jo. What's happened?"

"Its Jonas!... They killed him, my father's men. They took him and..." Jo whispered, looking distraught, "Oh my God, you have to leave, now!" She looked like she was on the verge of tears. I couldn't react well to seeing her this way.

I was preoccupied with my thoughts. My dad couldn't have left, he just couldn't have. It was impossible; the door has never been opened before. But apparently it has. Why did he leave me? He used to tell me there was nothing outside the Vault but hell and misery, nothing but death and survival, nothing but, nothing but….

I couldn't bear to think about his lessons right now. It was driving me insane. He had broken the rules of the very values and lessons he had taught me. My body started shaking at the mere thought of losing my only family. Mom was gone, even though I never knew her. And now Dad? How could he leave me here?

Suddenly, I became serious, back to the present. Jo stood shaking in front of me, tears streaking her face.

"Oh my god...are you okay?"

She nodded, even though tears were spilling down her face. "Yeah. Don't worry about me. I'm just sorry you had to find out like this. I know Jonas was a family friend. But we've got to go, now. My fathers men will be here any minute!"

"Your father." I stated wearily, "He is sending officers after me?"

"Yes," Jo said shaken. She looked like she was about to collapse out of sheer nerves.

"But why?" I asked confused slightly, "What did I do?" I helped her sit on my bed as I got up and paced nervously back and forward from my bed to my door like she was before.

"He thinks you helped your dad escape," Jo said, "He thought Jonas helped him too. He ordered Officer Mack to beat it out of Jonas. And Jonas….and Jonas is…..is…..Jonas is dead, Kendall! They beat him and beat him until he died."

"So they killed Jonas," I said weakly, "And I'm next right?" I was too shaken. No one had ever had to put up with something like this. The entire Vault was under lockdown.

"Yes," Jo said crying, "Please, Kendall. I have to know! Did you know what your dad was going to do?" I looked at the ceiling, eyes stinging from unshed tears. The last thing I needed right now was to cry. I wanted to cry over Jonas, my dad and what he caused, Jo, and me…..I wanted to cry for me, because now I felt a huge burden of hatred and sadness wash over me. It was something I had never felt before.

"No," I said truthfully and felt a twinge of anger towards my father, "He didn't tell me a thing. He didn't tell me a God dammed thing!" My face felt like it was burning with anger. I felt sadness underneath it all, though. Why would he leave me? I punched the wall next to me and slouched to the ground. I didn't know how much more I could take.

Jo looked at me sympathetically. "I'm so sorry, Kendall," She said trying to dry up her tears, "I didn't…..didn't realize...I mean, he was your father and everything." She breathed uneasily.

I got up looking at her. "I need to escape the vault. And you're going to help me." I said confidently.

"I know," Jo said, trying to keep from crying again. She cleared her throat. "That's exactly what I had in mind. Listen. There's a secret tunnel that leads directly from my fathers office to the exit. You'll have to hack the computer on his desk to open it. Use these to get through the door. That's how I always get in." She handed me a pile of bobby pins.

"Okay," I said agreeing with her, "But what makes you think this tunnel won't be guarded? It could be a trap..."

"We don't have time for this! Trust me, security doesn't know about the tunnel. Just my father- and me. Maybe this pistol I stole from him will make you feel better. Go ahead, take it, and then let's get out of here." She said, pulling a .10 mm pistol out from behind her, handing it to me along with a few ammo clips.

I looked at the gun. If I was going to get out of here, I was going to need it. "Thank you Jo," I said thankful to have her as a friend, "I promise I will only use it if I have to."

"Okay," Jo said looking relieved, "I'll meet you at the door. But please, Kendall, I'm begging you, please be careful."

"I will," I said honestly, "Now get going before you get caught with me." With that, Jo got up and ran out my home.

* * *

><p>I was holding an old backpack, shoving in everything I needed. I pulled open my dresser drawer and grabbed my baseball bat and BB gun, a repair kit, and my personal Med-kit. There were other things too, things I would need and wouldn't, but I didn't care. I just shoved it all in my backpack and ran to towards the exit.<p>

I paused at the door, glancing back at an old picture frame sitting on my dresser. _See that? It was your mother's favorite passage. _My fathers voice drifted through my head. _Revelation 2:16. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. _I grabbed the frame, ripping the back of it off and stuffing the piece of paper into my dad's old canteen holster. It was the only thing I had of my moms. I wouldn't leave it behind. Not now.

My mind raced as I turned out of my home. I wasn't paying attention. Why would he leave me? Why would he leave at all? Where did he go? "Hey hold it right there!" An officer in full uniform said, racing towards me. I recognized the voice. It was Officer Jackson, Jennifer's father.

But then something happened that I never though would. A swarm of Radroaches came out of nowhere, pouncing at him.

"Shit!" Officer Jackson shouted, pulling out his police baton, "More roaches!" The Radroaches continued their attack, but Jackson smashed them to the ground one by one. More poured out of a giant gap in the wall and joined the fight. The perfect distraction.

I turned and ran the other way. I needed to get out of here. I rounded a corner, slamming into a hard body.

"Kendall!" I heard Jett's voice. I looked up to where Jett stood, shaken. I quickened my pace, shoving past him before he could call the guards"You've got to help me," He pleaded, "My mom is being attacked by Radroaches."

I sighed heavily. I was taught to always help, no matter who it was. I quickly glanced behind me, making sure officer Jackson was still distracted. His shouts echoed through the halls.

"Alright, alright. I'll help," I said, following along side him to his home. I pulled out my police baton as the door slid open. Roaches were pouncing on the poor woman, biting her. I swung at one, pulling another off and kicking it. The other turned around and pounced at me, clicking madly. I swung at it in midair, sending it flying against the bedroom window.

I put my police baton back into my bag, breathing heavily. Mrs. Stedson got up and staggered to the other room in a drunken state. Jett burts through the door, happy as he could be. "We did it!" He yelled happily, noticing my expression. "-or you did it. I don't know how to repay you, Kendall." He glanced arounf the room before shrugging out of his leather coat. "Here, have my Jacket." He walked over to his mom, bleeding and drunk on the couch. She probably wouldnt even remember what happened.

I took the jacket slinging it over my should and walked out his home. It was basically Jett saying thanks. God knows he would never actually speak the words. I walked up the stairs I had originally planned on going up before running into Jett.

I was on the Commons level now. All the lights were off except for a yellow spinning light near another flight of stairs. I turned on my Pipboy light, illuminating the surrounding area. I could hear clicking from the Cafeteria. Roach clicks. I walked in, Police Baton ready.

I saw the most gruesome sight I've ever seen.

An old lady was lying face down on the ground, missing flesh on one arm and half her face torn away. Radroaches were eating away at her, practically swarming her body. I slowly walked by, barely making out her identity through all the blood. It was Grandma Maslow, a nice old lady whose husband was a senior police officer. They were some of the only people to have three generations alive in a vault at one time, even if her son was a dick and her grandson never left the house.

I almost threw up at the sight. I knew Radroaches were mostly scavenger predators, but I've never seen them in action. I wish I hadn't.

I ran from the room, leaving her. I know I should've done something, but I didn't have enough time. I couldn't help everyone.

My feet carried me up another flight of stairs, to the clinic level. I shoveled supplies into my bag as I ran, reaching the next set of stairs.

"It's you," A man yelled from inside his home, watching me through a window. Mr. Maslow. "This is all your fault! You and your stupid father! He had to go mess things up for the rest of us!" I stared at him, wide eyed and scared. His wife and son were sitting at a table, eyeing me. I didn't recognize his son, watching my with big hazel eyes shielded by long brown hair. Then again, no one probably did. He never left his house. His parents wouldn't let him.

I couldn't let them distract me, though. I was almost to the Overseer's room. I was almost free.

"Kendall Knight" A voice came from behind me. I froze where I stood, turning slowly around to face the owner of it. The Overseer. "Going somewhere?"

I pulled out the gun Jo gave me, hands shaking. "D-don't move! I'll shoot!"

Jo's dad laughed, pulling out his own gun. "You know the rules, Knight. It is here you are born, it is here you will die. No one enters, no one leaves. Those who break those rules will be punished."

"Punished?" I questioned, thinking of Jonas. "Or killed?"

Mr. Maslow and his family sat behind the window, watching us. I swallowed before turning back to Mr. Taylor. He was _smiling._

"I never liked you, Kendall. I put up with you and your stupid parents- oh wait, _father_-" I flinched. Everyone knew my mom died when I was little. No one ever talked about her anymore. "-because my daughter was your friend. But now? You broke the rules. You need to be punished."

I glared at him, finger on the trigger of my gun. "My mother was the nicest person in this vault, dont disrespect her like that!"

His smile grew. "Your mother was a whore who got knocked up by an idiot."

"My parents were good people!"

"Your parents were a joke. Just like you are."

A loud banging noise filled the hallway. Blood splattered across Mr. Maslow's window, finally blocking out his angry face. I fell to my knees, along with Mr. Taylor. Pain shot through me, but not the pain of a bullet. The pain of guilt. The Overseer collapsed to the ground, blood pouring out of the hole in the center of his forehead.

"...Daddy?" A small voice came from behind me. I spun around, a scared Jo facing me. "My god, what have you done? You killed him! Why would you kill my father?" She whispered, not moving a muscle. I swallowed harshly, fighting tears as I pushed passed her, running to her dead father's room.

"Oh my god! Daddy!" She cried out from behind me as I ran.

I fell to my knees when I reached the door, taking out the bobby pins Jo gave me before. Tears fell down my face as I opened the lock. _I killed him._

The door slid open, revealing an office. A circular desk sat in the middle of the room. Behind it was a computer. A computer that would most likely open the passage...

I ran over to it, whiping the tears from my face. _I killed him. I killed someone._ _He's dead and Jo hates me. _The screen came to life, a cursor blinking in the middle of it. Of corse it was password protected. As if my day could get any better.

_I killed him. He's dead._ My fingers shook as they hit two keys. 'J' and 'O'. The computer buzzed to life, an options screen popping up. I clicked on the one labled 'Overseer's tunnel', waiting to see what would happen.

A low hissing noise filled the room. I spun around, watching as the round desk in the middle of the room lifted off of the ground, revealing a small set of stairs leading down a hallway. I quickly ran down them, unshed tears blurring my vision. _He's dead. He's dead and it's all your fault._

Somehow, I ended up in a dark room. A control panal sat in the center of it. Behind it was a giant gear looking thing, lodged into the wall. A mechanical arm sat next to it, waiting. _The Vault door._

I lept forward, pressing the green button on the conrtol panel. An alarm went off, echoing loudly through out the room as the mechanical arm let out steam from small exhaust ports. It extended towards the Cog shaped indenture and locked itself to it. I watched the arm pull the Cog out of its spot with the loud scraping sound as the humongous door slid out towards me, rolling on tracks towards the right.

_The door was open._

Outside of the door was a rocky tunnel, light melting through wooden planks at the end. The light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak.

"Oh my god...you actually opened it..." A voice whispered. I didn't have to turn around to know that it was Jo.

I took a step towards the exit, knowing that she'd hate me for what I did to her. "Good. You're leaving. I guess you were trying to help me. But you...you didn't have to kill him!"

I clenched my teeth, turning to look at her over my shoulder. "You're father deserved to die. He was a murderer."

"Oh, really? And who appointed you judge, jury, and executioner?" She crossed her arms, scowling. "I know he wasn't perfect, but he was my father. I thought you were my friend. He was the only family I had left. I thought you of all people would have understood that."

I sighed, taking a step towards her. "Jo, wait-"

"You'd better get out of here before I change my mind and call the guards." She hissed, motioning towards the tunnel.

Another sigh escaped my lips as I made my way down the short tunnel. My hands rested on the droken wooden door, light from beyond it shining on my hands. I was twelve years old, not a friend in the world and practically an orphan. I was a killer, left to travel into a world virtually unknown by any Vault dweller. I was alone. And I was scared.

The door creaked open, light flooding into my eyes. I was blinded as I stumbled into hell. The sound of metal crushing metal filled my ears as I fell to the ground, still unable to see.

I blinked, eyes adjusting the the light pouring into them. The landscape- if you could call it that- was gone. The sky and ground were gray, along with everything else. Even the sun was gray.

I glanced behind me, down the small tunnel I just exited. The Vault door was shut tightly, as if it was never opened in the first place. Just how it belonged.

I placed my hand on the ground, trying to stand up. The rock it landed on moved as I tried lifting myself, sending me toppling down again. I reached for it, ready to throw it out of my way before standing up again.

Except it wasnt a rock. It was a _skull_. I frantically looked around myself, noticing how the landscape was unnaturally bumpy...

I was lying on a mass grave, bones and ash skattered around me like flowers in a meadow. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of bodies, just lying there. I bit my lip as more tears threatened to fall.

It was something I'd have to get used to. Death. Creating death and witnessing death. And maybe, just maybe, see that death come back to life. People killed for their own reasons, whether it be to protect or just to kill. It was a fact you just had to accept.

Because war never changes.

* * *

><p><strong>How was that? Horrible? Amazing? Do things suddenly make sense? No? Do you want me to explain things?<strong>

**Kendall's dad left the vault for reasons that'll be explained REALLY SOON. And you're not supposed to leave the Vault. Like, ever. Jonas was Kendall's dad's friend. So Jo's crazy dad had him killed for 'helping' Kendall's dad escape. And then he wanted to kill Kendall...**

**The Maslow family? Yeah- it's James's family. And I KNOW his last name is Diamond, but he changed it when he left the vault...which will be explained next chapter...**

**So that means...GASP! If you didn't listen to my authors note in the beginning of the chapter, you now know that KENDALL AND JAMES CAME FROM THE SAME VAULT. So. I killed James's grandma):**

**And I know that I made Jo's dad like, the biggest dick in the world, but I kinda had to. I mean, why else would Kendall shoot him?...never mind, I could have come up with 20,000 different ways...**

**I feel like I'm rambling. Ugh.**

**Okay- hopefully this cleared a few things up. If not, review and tell me what you don't get. But...You should review anyway!**

**So review! (;**


End file.
